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Living a Life Owned by GodTue, 13 Jun 2017 18:03:20 +0000hourly1Living a Life Owned by GodJOEDMCGINNIS.COM noLiving a Life Owned by GodJOEDMCGINNIS.COM JOEDMCGINNIS.COM http://joedmcginnis.com/wp-content/plugins/powerpress/rss_default.jpghttp://joedmcginnis.com
Who’s Your Village?http://joedmcginnis.com/whos-your-village/
http://joedmcginnis.com/whos-your-village/#commentsTue, 13 Jun 2017 18:03:20 +0000JoedMcGinnishttp://joedmcginnis.com/?p=3250I’ve come to learn that it really does take a village to raise a child. In fact, my dad and mom always said that their “success” in parenting really had more to do with the people they surrounded us with than anything they did. Not sure if I completely agree (I think they made some […]]]>

I’ve come to learn that it really does take a village to raise a child. In fact, my dad and mom always said that their “success” in parenting really had more to do with the people they surrounded us with than anything they did. Not sure if I completely agree (I think they made some right choices along the way). Either way, they were certainly onto something. When I look back on my childhood I can remember the missionaries, the pastors, the small group leaders, the coaches of high character and integrity that surrounded my upbringing. It’s not surprising that all of us “children” grew up to serve God in various ways in full-time vocational ministry.

The adults in out lives were more than just friends. They were more than just people to hangout with and friends to have near while we tried to “survive the troubles of life”. They were influences. They were partners in parenting and childrearing.

Our life was not easy. We had struggles like every other family. We had times when we had “enough” and there were times when we struggled financially. There were times of health and times of sickness. Throughout my childhood, my parents kept the main thing the main thing. They raised us kids with a purpose in life that was beyond ourselves. It was beyond the “typical”. They raised us with the belief that God was calling us to more. He was preparing and leading us to make a difference in this world… to offer hope to people who were far from Him.

Aime and I are right in the middle of raising our six kids. They range from a senior in High School to kindergarten. We’re trying hard to surround them with key influences… people with strong character and an outspoken call on their life to make a difference. Sometimes this means we have to make the tough choices to change these influences by changing where we spend our time. These choices can be tough in the moment, but we’re banking on it paying out in the long run.

So, just a challenge here –

Who do you choose to surround your children? What kinds of people have influence in their life? What things are they striving after?

These are important questions because chances are …

Your kids just might grow up to look like them as much as they will you.

Feeling lost as a parent? Looking for a way to discover the purpose for your family? Wanting to establish family values, set goals, or just need a tool to help you keep the main thing the main thing?

]]>http://joedmcginnis.com/whos-your-village/feed/2Blessed are the Poor in Spirithttp://joedmcginnis.com/blessed-are-the-poor-in-spirit/
http://joedmcginnis.com/blessed-are-the-poor-in-spirit/#respondTue, 16 May 2017 15:55:29 +0000JoedMcGinnishttp://joedmcginnis.com/?p=3243“You can’t know how Great God is until you first realize how helpless you are.” Jesus says this in the opening line of the Sermon on the Mount when he said, “Blessed are the poor in Spirit.” One time, Jesus was walking with His disciples and a group of people come up to Jesus and want […]]]>

“You can’t know how Great God is until you first realize how helpless you are.”

Jesus says this in the opening line of the Sermon on the Mount when he said, “Blessed are the poor in Spirit.”

One time, Jesus was walking with His disciples and a group of people come up to Jesus and want their children to be “blessed”. Now, I don’t know what you have heard about this passage is found in Matthew 19, I’ve always seen pictures of Jesus placing his hands on children’s for heads, possibly making across somewhere… saying a fast prayer and then considering the children blessed, but I really have a hard time with this picture. Maybe it’s because I actually HAVE children and know that that would in no way shape or form “bless them”.

When I think of Jesus, or anyone for that matter, “blessing kids” I always picture him picking up a child, tickling them, and then throwing them up in the air as high as he possibly could. This would be that height where your stomach actually turns and you feel like you’re about to throw up in your eyes grow three times the size is normal as you are praying with all that you have that this person would actually be able to catch you before you splatter on the ground below.

Naturally, Jesus would catch them at the last minute and then throw them back up in the air again. This makes sense to me, both because the children would be blessed as well as the fact that the disciples always seem to be disturbed that Jesus would spend his time doing such things. I mean, seriously, what’s the big deal about taking a few minutes to put your hands on a few kids heads and say fast prayer… But rolling on the ground and throwing them up in the air??? I can understand why the disciples would question whether or not they have the time for this. Here’s what the passage says:

Matthew 19:13-14

13 Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them.

14 Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

I love this passage. What I love about the passage the most is really what it’s saying between the lines. You see, children have nothing to offer except themselves! They don’t have a lot to bring to the table in a relationship except for their love, their acceptance, and their spirit. They don’t come trying to “teach” things. They don’t come to help you get ahead in life and they rarely come critiquing you. They basically come with empty hands. They’re just glad that you want to spend time with them!

And Jesus says – they are “poor in spirit”… They don’t bring the baggage of spiritual arrogance.

There’s a message here for each of us.

God has a plan for your life. And it’s not to keep you down low. No, it’s not to keep you in a place of “helplessness” or struggle. It’s to enjoy the life of a child of the King. God wants to “bless” you. He wants you to crawl up in his lap, where He can pick you up throw you in the air. All the way to the point where you feel like you’re going to splatter all over the ground, only to have Him catch you… laugh, and do it again. When people around you see your relationship with God they’ll become envious (an aspect of this word “blessed”), but the great thing is, they can have it to!

It just takes starting off by acknowledging you don’t have enough…

You’re know you’re heading down the right path when; no matter where you are in your definition of success, no matter where you are in your five-year plan, and no matter how many years you’ve been coming to church…You’re still simply coming to Him with open hands. You’re crawling up into His lap and you’re ready for God to speak, ready to listen, and ready to obey!

]]>http://joedmcginnis.com/blessed-are-the-poor-in-spirit/feed/0I’ve Been Thinking This Week About Being a Shepherdhttp://joedmcginnis.com/ive-been-thinking-this-week-about-being-a-shepherd/
http://joedmcginnis.com/ive-been-thinking-this-week-about-being-a-shepherd/#commentsThu, 04 May 2017 12:00:51 +0000JoedMcGinnishttp://joedmcginnis.com/?p=3238I’m a pastor. I shepherd God’s flock. I lead them. I care for them. I keep them healthy by sometimes correcting and other times by steering them into “greener pastures.” If we all lived in the days of Moses and Aaron, I would represent the people before God and visa versa. I guess in today’s […]]]>

I’m a pastor. I shepherd God’s flock. I lead them. I care for them. I keep them healthy by sometimes correcting and other times by steering them into “greener pastures.” If we all lived in the days of Moses and Aaron, I would represent the people before God and visa versa. I guess in today’s world it’s still a little like that.

I’m called to feed the sheep.

Feeding God’s sheep means that I have to possess the food in the first place. This means I need to spend the time devouring God’s Word. I need to allow it to be digested, making me strong and healthy. Then, and only then am I able to feed those in my care. Feeding the sheep also means that I need to be sure that they are getting a balanced meal. It means that it’s my job to be sure that they’re eating their brussels sprouts along with their sweet potatoes. There are certain things that God wants us to know that are easier to swallow than others. My job is to make sure that we eat everything on the plate.

I’m called to make sure the sheep are healthy.

As a pastor, I stand before God to how obedient the sheep are living. The reality is, it’s very possible to over feed the sheep. It’s really not healthy to allow the sheep to stay in the pen. They just get fat and lazy. It’s my job to do whatever I can to get the sheep moving. Get them out of the pen to burning off some of the food they’ve been gorging on before they get too lazy and begin to expect more than they need.

I’m called to care for the sheep.

Caring for them is different than just doing a job. It involves personal attachment to the sheep. It’s what drives the shepherd to go the extra mile for the one that has wondered off. It’s what drives the shepherd to give up time and sleep to care for the sick. It’s not out of duty of “obligation”… it’s out of love for God’s sheep. It’s choosing to see them for the beautiful creatures that God sees them to be.

Sometimes, I’m called to be willing to break a leg.

I have to be honest, I love this! I have never heard ANYONE preach on this one! Often times, when a sheep would constantly wonder off, the shepherd would have to take some drastic measures for the sheep’s on good. He breaks one of its legs. Yep! The shepherd would break one of the sheep’s legs and then pick the lamb up, dress its wounds and then carry the lamb close to himself until the leg healed. In the process of healing, the lamb would also build an attachment to the shepherd. This attachment would create a bond that couldn’t be broken. As a shepherd I have to be ready to make the hard decisions. Sometimes, it’s tough when you know it’s going to hurt in the short term, but I have to be ready to commit to the sheep for the long haul.

I’m not going to address all things that a shepherd shouldn’t do yet. I think I’ll save that for another conversation since it’s a whole conversation in itself. But for now, I just want to be sure that I’m a good shepherd of the sheep God’s given me.

]]>http://joedmcginnis.com/ive-been-thinking-this-week-about-being-a-shepherd/feed/1Sometimes I feel like one of the Prophets of oldhttp://joedmcginnis.com/sometimes-i-feel-like-one-of-the-prophets-of-old/
http://joedmcginnis.com/sometimes-i-feel-like-one-of-the-prophets-of-old/#commentsWed, 26 Apr 2017 15:58:07 +0000JoedMcGinnishttp://joedmcginnis.com/?p=3232Sometimes I feel like one of the Prophets of old. Growing up as a kid I vividly remember hearing stories about Elijah, Elisha, and the others in Sunday School and if I am completely honest I have to say that I still get them all mixed up from time to time. The role of The […]]]>

Sometimes I feel like one of the Prophets of old. Growing up as a kid I vividly remember hearing stories about Elijah, Elisha, and the others in Sunday School and if I am completely honest I have to say that I still get them all mixed up from time to time.

The role of The Prophet was simple: they are the mouthpieces of God. God told them what to say and they passed the message on to the people that God chose to hear the message. As a kid, that sounded really cool. It’s kinda like they have a direct link to God. Now that I’m older, and have experienced the life as a pastor for the past twenty plus years, I’ve come to realize that being the mouthpiece of God can really suck sometimes.

People like to do their own thing. Most people have a pretty good idea of what they like and what they don’t like. They have a good idea of how they like to spend their time and how they don’t. So basically, as a prophet your job is to go to people who have their life plans set and tell them that they’re going to have to change it… because “God says so”.

Everyone reacts differently to this type of messaging. Most people… not so well. Hence the phrase, “Don’t shoot the messenger.”

As a pastor, I generally sit down to my computer to type up my sermon on Wednesday afternoon after spending a few days in study and prayer over what God wants me to say to His people. I stare at my blank screen knowing what I need to say, but struggling on how I’m going to say it. If I’m a little too bold… people stop listening and the message falls on deaf ears. If I’m a little too soft… people may lose the sense of importance and urgency and therefore, miss the message completely.

So I sit at my desk and think about what might have been going through the minds of the prophets the day before they left to deliver their message. Did they have notes or did they just wing it? Either way, here’s what I know about the prophets:

Prophets value authenticity above everything else.

They knew that it is important to have your public life and your private life… be the same life. Can’t be two-faced when you represent God!

Prophets value a reckless abandonment above everything else.

They understood that when God tells you to do something, there’s only one response – Obedience!

Prophets value the Word of God above everything else.

Ultimately… this is God’s word that we’re delivering! It’s kinda important that His message takes presidency.

So I’m sitting down to write a sermon and I’m praying one consistent prayer-

“God, help me to not mess up your message to your people! Give me the boldness to be obedient when it’s hard and the humility and gentles to deliver the message in love for you and your people.”

]]>http://joedmcginnis.com/sometimes-i-feel-like-one-of-the-prophets-of-old/feed/1The Church I Dream Abouthttp://joedmcginnis.com/the-church-i-dream-about/
http://joedmcginnis.com/the-church-i-dream-about/#commentsFri, 27 Jan 2017 17:23:36 +0000JoedMcGinnishttp://joedmcginnis.com/?p=3210I often tell people that I share a similar story to that of Samuel. I was only a few weeks old the first time I came to church. If the doors were open… my family was there. Much like Samuel, I was raised in the church. It’s impossible for me to think back on my […]]]>

I often tell people that I share a similar story to that of Samuel. I was only a few weeks old the first time I came to church. If the doors were open… my family was there. Much like Samuel, I was raised in the church. It’s impossible for me to think back on my childhood and not be bombarded with memories of sitting in the second row of pews on the left had side of the sanctuary. I remember Pastor Greening, preaching all the stories of the “Saints of old”. He had a rule of thumb he followed, “preach in a way that 10-year-old would understand and you’ll catch everyone else older as well.” I loved listening to his messages. They were always a balanced mixture of stories of Biblical heroes of the faith and modern day heroes we called missionaries.

The first Bible verse I learned was John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” The second verse was Matthew 28:19-20 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” From a very young age I learned how simple it all was; God loved us so much he sent us Jesus and now we’re supposed to take him to the ends of the earth. I knew Satan was real and this message we carried was the most powerful message on this planet and with it we could defeat Him. We (the church) were God’s army behind enemy lines. We were to never forget that our enemy roamed this earth and controlled just about everything we could see.

In the seventh grade, I read the book Through the Gates of Splendor by Elizabeth Elliot and knew from that day on my goal in life was to be one of those missionaries tromping through the Amazon basin delivering this message of hope to a broken world. This goal led me to stay in the best possible shape. I played three sports all through school. I enlisted in the Army National Guard at age seventeen. I went to Bible college and traveled on mission trips to nine countries including the jungles of Papua New Guinea. Through God’s sovereign hand he led me out of the jungles and into the local church. I’ve served in churches with a weekly attendances of about eighty as well as in churches with several thousand on any given Sunday.

I have to be honest though, after 20 years of ministry, I now find myself wishing it was all as simple as when I was a kid, “God loves us so much he sent us Jesus and now we’re going to take him to the ends of the earth.” I’m not really sure how I ended up where I am, but I’ve seem to have found myself where most pastors my age have found themselves; spending a lot more time “doing church” than “doing the work of the church.” The pastors I grew up with led the charge up each hill. They were front and center as we stormed the gates of Hell. Most pastors today seem to be more of referees for the righteous than they are leaders on a battlefield. Too many churches seem to be sitting in the rear, no longer waiting to be called to the front. If there’s one thing I’ve learn in the Army it’s that an Army sitting idle gets into trouble. They become self-centered. They fight and bicker with each other. They snipe at one another and find ways to discourage instead of locking arms and moving as one.

I find myself thinking like when I was kid… daydreaming about an “Army of God” behind enemy lines. I think up stories in my head about men and women carrying this powerful message of hope with them everywhere they go in their backpacks, briefcases, and suitcases. What would that church look like? What would it look like today to have a church, the whole church, focused on making disciples of all the nations? What if everyone was sold out to the mission given to us by God Himself. The church I dream about is an army sold out to this mission. They’re selflessly abandoned to the the task of making disciples of all the nations. They teach these things diligently to their children and are committed to raising up a younger generation of Spiritual champions. They care for one another, love one another, and sacrifice for one another. This church is known for locking arms and storming the gates of Hell. They’ve committed all they have to this mission. A 10% tithe is the floor to their giving not the ceiling. Their worship is uninhibited and unbridled. They’re the movers and the shakers of their community and their immense compassion for the broken is noticed by all. Their leaders, lead from the front and everyone carries his or her share of the load. They love mercy and seek justice.

This is the kind of church I dream about.

]]>http://joedmcginnis.com/the-church-i-dream-about/feed/1Thorns in my life and the Power of Godhttp://joedmcginnis.com/thorns-in-my-life-and-the-power-of-god/
http://joedmcginnis.com/thorns-in-my-life-and-the-power-of-god/#respondFri, 01 Jul 2016 13:51:25 +0000JoedMcGinnishttp://joedmcginnis.com/?p=3199…“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” -2 Cor. 12:9 I love this verse. I’ve loved this verse ever since the first time I heard it as a young child. I’ve always loved it because, even as a young child, I understood that I was broken and weak. You […]]]>

…“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” -2 Cor. 12:9

I love this verse. I’ve loved this verse ever since the first time I heard it as a young child. I’ve always loved it because, even as a young child, I understood that I was broken and weak. You don’t have to live life very long before this realization becomes evident. What a great reminder that in the middle of our weaknesses, God’s Power can be made known in a real and tangible way.

A few nights ago, I was meeting with the Elders of my church for our usual time of prayer and accountability and this passage came up. Again, very timely as our church has been through many transitions over the past few years. There have been more times than one that we’ve felt weak and needed God’s Power to show up. One thing that hit me as we were studying this passage was verse 7. It’s kind of an important, and often time left out, part of this passage. It’s actually the explanation as to why “this verse is there”.

“Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.”

This verse is comforting, because we’re all broken. It’s comforting, because we all know that we’re weak. It’s comforting, because it reminds us that God is always with us and that His power is shown even more powerfully in our weakness, but it’s hardly comforting to be reminded how easily we can become conceited and feel like we can fix all of our problems.

“…to keep me from being conceited,” is a big phrase.

con·ceit·ed

You and I live in a place where we’re taught from young children to be self-sufficient. It’s who we are as Americans. It’s who we are as… people. It’s been a struggle from the very beginning. We have always wanted control.

Tapping into the Power of God is all about giving up control. It’s about giving up our plans. It’s about giving up our agenda. It’s about giving up our lives and making it obvious who is in control.

Most of the time I want the Power of God to show up in my weaknesses either to get me out of a bad situation, or sometimes it’s a little less selfish, and I want my situation in life to be a testimony to people far from God as to how good God is, but even then, I can’t remember a time that I have looked for the Power of God to simply keep me humble. I don’t remember one time asking for God’s Power to show up in my life as a reminder to ME of how insignificant I am and how great God is.

I don’t know what’s going on in your life right now, but I imagine you’re going through some kind of struggle (I know this because we all struggle). Maybe it’s apparent to everyone around, or maybe it’s just in your own mind. The on-going struggle, the nagging pain, the thorns that poke you right where it hurts are there for a reason. We can’t always handle it. We can’t always control it. We can’t always change it.

I love the fact that one of the last things that Christ carried for us onto the cross was a crown of thorns. All my sin, all my brokenness, all my struggles of life that I face… He took them on himself and paid for them all. He did this so that you and I can have a relationship with the God of the universe. A relationship where you and I have access to the Power of God.

Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me… BUT…“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

]]>http://joedmcginnis.com/thorns-in-my-life-and-the-power-of-god/feed/0How to be the “Perfect” familyhttp://joedmcginnis.com/how-to-be-the-perfect-family/
http://joedmcginnis.com/how-to-be-the-perfect-family/#respondFri, 06 Nov 2015 18:46:36 +0000JoedMcGinnishttp://joedmcginnis.com/?p=3185We’ve got this incredible picture that would hang over our fireplace of when the kids were younger. It’s one of those family photos that you see in magazines. It’s perfect! All of our kids (we had 5 at that time) are sitting perfectly and a row. They all have the most angelic smiles on their faces […]]]>

We’ve got this incredible picture that would hang over our fireplace of when the kids were younger. It’s one of those family photos that you see in magazines. It’s perfect! All of our kids (we had 5 at that time) are sitting perfectly and a row. They all have the most angelic smiles on their faces and if you look real close, you can see just a hint of sparkle in everyone’s eyes. I’m not kidding you… it’s that good! I loved seeing that picture hanging there above the fireplace. It brought a smile to my face every time.

Now, with that being said, you have to know something. The smile on my face had nothing to do with the photo itself. As a matter of fact, I gladly admit that I think “perfect” photos are boring. What makes me smile is fact that not only do I own that one “perfect photo”, but I also own the 7 “imperfect photos” that preceded it. Now these pictures are truly awesome!

They include:

One little boy picking his nose.

A dad lecturing him as to why this is neither the time nor the place for that.

A one-year-old girl making every attempt to exit the scene.

A little boy arguing his point as to why he had no choice but to clear his nasal passageway.

And the same dad threatening the little boy within an inch of his life that if he doesn’t “turn around, sit still, and smile, there will be no need for him to be in the photo.”

Now, those are great shots!

You might not have seen my family picture above the fireplace, but I’m sure you’ve seen ones just like them. Our Facebook feeds are full of them. Perfect smiles, perfect behavior, perfect families! They’re a constant reminder of how imperfect your family is. It’s a bitter sweet thing to look at these photos.

“Good for them.”

“Don’t they look beautiful.”

Why didn’t we get our family picture like that? Oh wait, I remember, it’s because my family looks nothing like that. I’m happy if everyone is fully dressed. Who cares if we’re all matching? And sitting still… well, that’s just ridiculous!

When we see perfect photos of perfect families we need to remember that there are very few people willing to post the imperfect ones, BUT make no mistake, they have plenty of imperfect ones.

Why are we so fast to compare our family with those we see? I find it ironic that we teach our little girls that the magazine models with the Barbie doll figures have all been touched up and changed. We teach our kids that it’s the inside that counts, and that nobody is perfect and yet we can’t help but to compare the “perfect” family with our “imperfect” one.

Guess what? Most of us “imperfect” families are just perfect the way we are! Hey, over-worked Dad and stressed out mom, Relax a little. You’re not alone. You’re just like us. We’re trying to do our best at being good parents and parenting is a hard thing to do.

We’re all awesome parents… until we mess up.

But then we apologize, make the needed changes, and move on and try our best again… and again… and again.

So be encouraged!

If you’re reading this and have no idea what I’m talking about, do me a favor. Take down a few of your “perfect photos” and start posting a few of the imperfect ones. It’ll help the rest of us relax a little and enjoy parenting instead of always feeling guilty for not being able to stop the little boy from picking his nose. – Just saying

]]>http://joedmcginnis.com/how-to-be-the-perfect-family/feed/0Seasonshttp://joedmcginnis.com/seasons/
http://joedmcginnis.com/seasons/#commentsMon, 24 Aug 2015 19:51:34 +0000JoedMcGinnishttp://joedmcginnis.com/?p=3180 This summer flew by! It seems like every year, our summer break is shorter and shorter. It was just yesterday that we turned off the 6am alarm clock and celebrated freedom from oppression… I mean school. Now, here I sit one week back into the pattern of school bus routes, sports practices, and homework. […]]]>

This summer flew by! It seems like every year, our summer break is shorter and shorter. It was just yesterday that we turned off the 6am alarm clock and celebrated freedom from oppression… I mean school. Now, here I sit one week back into the pattern of school bus routes, sports practices, and homework. What happened to my summer? No more swimming. No more afternoon picnics… this stinks!

Now with the ranting over, I do want to say that I love it that we’re about to enter into one of my favorite seasons here in North-East Ohio, the Fall. In just a couple weeks the trees will begin to change color. The air is going to grow colder again and you’ll literally be able to smell Football in the air. I love the Fall! I love the change in season. Summer is great, but to be honest, it can drag out a little too long for my taste.

Guess what? I’ll have a similar rant when the Fall turns into Winter. I hate it and I love it. And then another when Winter turns to Spring. I hate it and I love it.

Seasons. They come and they go… and most of the time, there’s nothing we can do about it. Now if you’re like me, you love the change of seasons. I think I like the change of seasons, because I just like change. I love it when something new or unexpected happens. I love variety. I love newness. I love options.

This is certainly true with the seasons of the year, and it’s just as true with seasons of life.

Preschool, high school, new job, new home… new haircut, doesn’t matter- bring it on.

I understand that you’re probably not like me though. So let’s quickly look at three things that happen when we enter into a new season of life.

When we start a new season we always have the potential of:

Losing Something

You don’t change from something familiar to something new without losing a little. You’re always going to miss something of the past. I’ve even seen this when I moved to ”something better”. It’s amazing how after a little bit of time, I can look back at the past and forget so much of what drove me crazy. All of a sudden, things weren’t that bad.

Once, I had to make a change that I wasn’t cool with. I didn’t want the change, but I had to accept it. When that happened, I really felt like I had lost something of value. I learned during that time that it’s ok to mourn over the loss, it’s just not ok to stay there as the victim. It’s my belief in God’s sovereignty leads me to believe that he’s in all change, even the ones I don’t like.

When we start a new season we always have the potential of:

Gaining Something

New season, new beginning. Every season of life ushers in the potential of a new beginning. A new job often times brings a new schedule, a new challenge, and even a new reward. New seasons bring with it the potential of a fresh start. Too many times I get caught up in fighting the change and I waste valuable time where I could be “taking new ground”. I had a coach once that taught Judo. Mastering Judo is mastering the ability to redirect momentum to your advantage. When you’re able to redirect momentum, every new pressure possess potential. Most new seasons (good and bad) will possess potential. We just have to learn to redirect it.

When we start a new season we always have the potential of:

Learning Something

An old Chinese saying says, “Everything is a teacher to those who want to learn.” I have found this to be true time and time again. No matter who you are and what new season is beginning, there’s something new to be learned. Take the time to reflect on the previous season of life and see if you didn’t learn something new through that experience. Now begin looking towards this new season with the excitement and anticipation of your next lesson.

Appreciate each season. I’ve learned this with my children. Aime and I have tried to appreciate each and every season with our kids. If every seasoned parent is telling us to appreciate it, because “they grow up too fast”… there must be something there for us. And guess what we’ve discovered? They grow up too fast! Even the tough seasons have taught us valuable lessons like patience and discernment.

Be obedient in each season. This is a tough one. Too many times I catch myself looking forward to the next season with either anticipation or dread. So much so, that I forget to actually “live” in this season. One thing most of us know is that regardless of your circumstance, God wants us to obey. So think about what has God called to you to DO during this season… and obey! Instead of complaining… just make sure you’re obedient today. Instead of spending every minute counting down the hours until the next season… just make sure you’re obedient today. Pastor Steven Furtick said this the other day, “For the follower of Jesus, the opposite of success is not failure. The opposite of success is unfaithfulness. If you are faithful (obedient) in ALL that you do, God will even use your failures to bring about the best.” Bottom line: Be obedient today!

Choose victory, not victim. “Greater is He that lives in you than he that is in the world.” – I John 4:4 Too many times we resign to being the victim. The God of the universe that lives in me is greater than any life circumstance. He’s greater than any job, any boss, any school, any illness. He’s just greater.

What season are you finding yourself in today? Has it changed recently? Is it tough? Hang in there. It’ll change again soon enough. Is your new season awesome? Hold on to it and enjoy it, because it too with change soon enough as well. One thing I know about “Seasons” is that they’re constantly changing. I for one am choosing to enjoy the change and trying with all my heart to remain obedient to what God has called me to DO today. How about you?

]]>http://joedmcginnis.com/seasons/feed/1One Crazy Summerhttp://joedmcginnis.com/one-crazy-summer/
http://joedmcginnis.com/one-crazy-summer/#respondMon, 22 Jun 2015 16:25:09 +0000JoedMcGinnishttp://joedmcginnis.com/?p=3174This is going to be one crazy summer for the McGinnis family. Last week was the only week all summer without a camp, mission trip, or major activity. So naturally, it became the best week for our annual Summer Vacation. Our family goes to Hilton Head just about every summer. It’s something we look forward to […]]]>

This is going to be one crazy summer for the McGinnis family. Last week was the only week all summer without a camp, mission trip, or major activity. So naturally, it became the best week for our annual Summer Vacation. Our family goes to Hilton Head just about every summer. It’s something we look forward to all year. It’s our one time to completely un-plug and just be together as a family.

Now, before you get this beautiful picture in your head of our six angels lined up on the beach standing perfectly still with smiles on their faces, just waiting for the camera to click, you need to get a slight reality check. Please understand that we have 2 teenage daughters, 2 over-active elementary aged students, and 2 preschoolers. Throw them all into a hot van for 12 hours and shake it all up… and that might look a little closer to reality.

With that being said, Aime and I work really hard at having accurate expectations of everyone. We expect our teenagers to act like teenagers and our preschoolers to act like preschoolers. It just goes a lot better when you remember that a 3 year old can’t (and won’t) sit still for longer than 2 minutes and that you’re going to get an attitude from time to time out of your teenager. When you keep a good perspective on the vacation you’re just going to have a lot more fun.

Every year vacation looks and feels a little different. Why? Each of us look and feel a little different than we did the year before. (Except for my wife who somehow has managed to look exactly the same for the last 18 years.) Although every year is a little different, there are a few things that remain the same.

Here are four phrases that we say every year… and mean.

“Stay with Your Beach Buddy”

This is one we picked up a couple years ago- It’s so much easier to keep up with everyone in the family when they’re together… looking out for one another. We want our kids to grow up always looking out for each other. One of our core values is Family First… and we mean it.

“No Phones, Computers, iPods, or Anything Else You Feel that You NEED to Have”

We shut it all off. In a day and age when the small screen rules, we need to work diligently on shutting it down. Too many families believe that being in the same proximity is the same as being together. It’s not! We want our kids to grow up knowing how to be present with those around them and not glued to a screen.

BTW- this rule is a lot easier for the kids than it is for me!

“Leave Mom and Dad Alone for Just a Few Minutes”

Ok, we’re all about family time, but sometimes I just need some alone time with my wife. Even on vacation, we try to go out on a date… just the two of us. This year, I caught myself occasionally kicking the kids out of the room or I’d make them go inside while Aime and I sat out on the balcony, just so that we could be alone.

All of my kids know that I love them deeply, but that I love mommy more! My wife and I know that there will be a time when all the kids are gone and all that’s left is us …and we’re going to be ready for that stage of life too!

“The Little Ones Will Act Like You”

This is a phrase that we tell the older kids all the time. We all need to be reminded that we’re constantly being watched. Our kids are picking up our habits, mannerisms, and disciplines. They’re always learning from us… even when we’re not teaching. The most important life lessons are caught not taught!

So we just got back from vacation last night and we’ve already sent one teenager off to Cincinnati for a Mission Trip. Journey Week is next week for our little ones and then a few more weeks of Mission Trips, and camps. Soon, sports will start up again and before you know it summer is over and school is here again.

Summer might be a little crazy around the McGinnis home every year, but I guarantee, it’s a good kind of crazy!

]]>http://joedmcginnis.com/one-crazy-summer/feed/0I Think Everyone Should Be a Christian… It’s Not Too Hardhttp://joedmcginnis.com/i-think-everyone-should-be-a-christian-its-not-too-hard/
http://joedmcginnis.com/i-think-everyone-should-be-a-christian-its-not-too-hard/#respondThu, 14 May 2015 07:50:22 +0000JoedMcGinnishttp://joedmcginnis.com/?p=3166I had a conversation the other day with a good friend about the Church (with a capital C) and Christianity here in America. If you know me at all, you can imagine that most of it was sarcastic. Though, thinking back over the conversation… I’m afraid too much of it was true… or at least […]]]>

I had a conversation the other day with a good friend about the Church (with a capital C) and Christianity here in America. If you know me at all, you can imagine that most of it was sarcastic. Though, thinking back over the conversation… I’m afraid too much of it was true… or at least could appear to be true. The conversation went something like this:

Christians don’t have to work on their marriages any differently than non-Christians.

You can still focus most of your energy on achieving “The American Dream”.

Whatever happens in the privacy of your home is really just between you and your spouse… oh “and God too, but He’s not going say much.”

You’re under no obligation to try to meet the needs of anyone other than yourself and your family.

You don’t lose the right to poke, jab, and /or criticize others who have hurt you.

You don’t have to even mention if something popular is wrong or considered sinful, after all, everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

You don’t have to worry about having to become a priest, pastor, missionary, or anything like that. There’s really only a few people who have to do that kind of stuff.

There are a few hang ups, but they’re not too bad:

You gotta be pretty good at looking “not so screwed up” on Sunday.

You need to continually work on the art of passive aggressive language and behavior.

You don’t need many, but a few Bible verses are always helpful to have on hand.

And you’ve gotta remember where you are and who you’re with because context is everything. (What might not be ok in one context doesn’t necessary mean it’s always wrong.)

But most importantly, here’s what YOU GET when you’re a Christian:

People are generally nicer to you at church.

If you can figure out the whole context thing, people are really going to think you’ve got your act together. (Especially if you’re willing to put a little “time in” and help out with the kids once in a while.)

You get start off each week fresh… almost like a clean slate.

Ok, enough sarcasm! You get the point.

Here’s the thing. I love Church. I really do. If you would have asked me a few years ago, I’m pretty sure I would have only been able to tell you all about my disappointments with it, but now, I can honestly say I love it. For starters, it’s God’s tool to change the world. He really doesn’t have a plan B… The church is it. Like it or not, Christians are called to live in this world as light in darkness.

The danger with being light in darkness is this though:My eyes get accustomed to the dark.

Last night I woke up in the middle of the night with a sick child. I got out of bed, and helped my son. I then went down stairs and got water and made it all the way back up to bed. All of this was done in near pitch-black darkness. Now, while I was walking around, it didn’t seem too dark. There was the light from the outside lamps. The moon was also shining in pretty strong, illuminating the whole house.

…ok, it was dark, but my eyes had grown accustomed to it, and I adjusted.

I can’t help, but to look at my own Christian walk and ask the question: Where have my eyes adjusted? Am I still light? Or am I simply just not looking as dark as everything else. Am I living as though I believe that my life as a follower of Jesus can look the same as the world?